


Stale Tea

by Bunnylope



Category: The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls
Genre: Drabble, F/F, First Dates, Fluff, edgy teens hate romance unless its them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:22:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21897370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bunnylope/pseuds/Bunnylope
Summary: Asuka and Ranko go on a Valentine's day "date."
Relationships: Kanzaki Ranko/Ninomiya Asuka
Kudos: 12





	Stale Tea

**Author's Note:**

> This is a secret santa gift (@cgsecretsanta19) for @hedenist via twitter! Have a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! <3

The sugar cube sitting in the bottom of Asuka’s teacup dissolved at a snail’s pace. She watched the cube break down and dissolve with little interest. She tapped a monotonous rhythm into the porcelain with her nails, _tink, tink, tink._ Romantic music and girlish laughs filled the typical café the pair of girls always visited. Something in the air was choking and anxiety-inducing, but Asuka was unable to put her finger on it. Her chest was tight as she looked anywhere but before her.

Ranko ate her dainty chocolate cake with pleasure as always. Though, after offering Asuka a bite (which was denied), she tilted her head with confusion. “Asuka, is something amiss?”

Her tea was tepid now. Her eyes bore into the tea—which was, at this point, probably over steeped. “I don’t know, I feel gross,” she answered, her eyes darting throughout the vividly decorated café. Heart cutouts adorned the area and romantic chocolates were advertised everywhere. Couples sat at tables that were too close for comfort and their flowery words were going to make her gag. Everything was just so _annoying._ “Everything is just too… Gushy.”

Ranko chuckled—she couldn’t help herself. “It’s Valentine’s Day!”

She was right. It was most definitely Valentine’s day. It wasn’t like Asuka was burning on the inside because she was too nervous to ask Ranko on a date or anything—this itself wasn’t even a date, they just go to the café every other Thursday! There was no way Ranko was here thinking this was a date, even though Asuka just wished that it was. It wasn’t like she triple-checked her bag to make sure the decorated chocolates were in there and still wrapped nicely with elegant bat-themed wrapping paper that Asuka picked out two months ago.

Asuka had been stuck in this emotional limbo with Ranko for what seemed like the longest time. These lunch dates were cute and friendly, but they were always… The same as always. She never found it within herself to ask her friend out. Ever since the pair met, it had been like a lost puzzle piece clicked in place. They always seemed to understand one-another, and when there were bumps in the road, the separation was agony and the void returned stronger than ever.

Asuka loves a lot of things about Ranko. She loves her persistence, her earnestness, her dedication to the things she loves despite the toxically normal world around them. She loves how Ranko makes her a better person—how they both make each other better. As much as Asuka hates “cheesy normie crap,” she would often daydream about holding Ranko’s hand, their hands slotting together perfectly.

“Gross,” Asuka mumbled into her stale drink.

Ranko gave a pout. “Don’t say that, c’mon, take a bite of the darkness with me~” She, once again, held out her fork with a piece of dark chocolate cake perched on the tongs. Asuka rolled her eyes and accepted the bite. “Valentine’s Day was and HAS always been a drag, but this year is different now that we’re dating, right?”

Asuka perked up. “Huh?”

Ranko flushed suddenly. Her chuuni-composure hiccupped. “U-Um, we have been dating, r-right?”

Asuka held back a laugh. She looked so, so, so cute when she was flushed. “I was too nervous to ask you before if these… things… counted as dates,” she paused, “But I was always hoping that they did.”

The anxiety in Asuka’s chest dissipated as she gazed at Ranko, who was looking at her with such endearing eyes. “I got you something for Valentine’s Day! Honestly, I really wanted it for myself, but we do like a lot of the same things, right?”

Ranko leaned over to rifle through her bag. She pulled out a small present wrapped with silver and blue paper and ribbon. At this moment, Asuka pulled out her own gift for Ranko, to which she lit up upon seeing the adorable wrapping paper.

“Do you want to open them together later?”

Ranko nodded with starry eyes. “Does this mean we get another date?”

Asuka laughed, a pure and genuine laugh laced with love. She was so happy to be with such a lovely girl. “Of course.”


End file.
